The versatile 30-06.
- Thread starter ShadeTree
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
JD338":132hfyy3 said:
Heck JD, this discussion makes me want one and I got enough! :lol: I got a 91 model Browning A-bolt in 30-06 with a bell & carlson stock on it that I'm anxious to try out.
I can feel it relaxing a tad when I back off the front action screw so I'm gonna bed it first. Love the smooth 60 degree bolt on it. A whole lot of rifle and cartridge for the money I picked it up at I feel.
hunt127588
Beginner
- Feb 27, 2007
- 54
- 2
No need for a magnum here. 30-06 or 308 for me.
pharmseller
Handloader
- Feb 13, 2012
- 554
- 88
I’ll always have at least one .30-06, currently have three, but I find I reach more for the 7mm-08 for deer and elk.
FOTIS":ihsds49p said:
And boring really ain't all that bad. :lol: I always seem to quote the late Col. Whelen when he said, "The 30-06 is never a mistake." I think he was right. I killed my forst dee at age 11. Didn't get into srious hunting, shooting and reloading until I was 16 but made up for lost time in on hell of a hurry. 8) By then hunting was almost exclusively with a 30-06. Sometimes I used a 30-30. Did all of my handloading with a Lyman 310 tong tool. They made some decent ammo too. It wasn't until 1973 that I went looking for a lighter rifle. At the time I was a heavy chain smoker and up at the 8,000 to 9,500 feet MSL on Mt. Lewis in Nevada where I was doing most of my deer hunting. Let's just say that heavy 30-06 was killing me. I found a Remington 660 in ,308 and used that for the most part until I moved from Nevada to Arizona. FWIW, I quit smoking in 1975. By the time deer season rolled around the altitude wasn't much of a problem. I used the 06 a couple of times but by 1985 my deer rifle was a Ruger M77 RSI in .308. Still, on just about every hunt I've gone on since 1973 has seen a 30-06 go along as major rifle or as back up to whatever I was using. I don't see that changing anytime in the future although I am enjoying the heck out of playing with the 7x57. I do plan on doing a hunt with that one in the very near future if I can book a hunt.
Paul B.
HAWKEYESATX
Handloader
- Aug 15, 2016
- 1,805
- 64
Well, the .30-06 has been kicking around for over 114 years, and like fine wine, keeps getting better with age.
In my youth, like many others here, I didn’t listen to my dad when he touted the ‘06. I was thinking in my head, what does he know anyways. Even then it was antiquated, but never down and out.
So, I tried my hand with the .300 Mag rifles, the 7mm Rem Mag, the .338 Win Mag. The recoil never bothered me much, except for the old Ruger M77 tang safety .300 Win Mag. That stock had too much drop in it, and too thin! It hurts even to think about it.
But, as I get older, I’m realizing my old man has gotten more wise as the years pass by me.
Plus, it always seems for me I get interested in a cartridge just at it seems to be waning in popularity, but that’s ok! More for us that like the ‘06 now.
In the past, the question would always arise to the gun scribes about if they could only have one caliber to hunt with, and it was almost unanimous, they would pick the ‘06 over everything else.
Why you may ask? Well, the ‘06 ammo can be purchased just about anywhere there are firearms sold, even in remote places like up in the mountains of Colorado, in a tiny gas station, or even in areas of Africa, if your luggage has a mishap at the airport, and your ammo gets separated from your rifle somehow. The PH will have some leftover from previous hunters, or know a place where you can buy some.
Is the .30-06 a barn burner? No, but it is the industry standard to which all other cartridges are judged.
I can honestly tell you, also, that seeing Guy’s success with his has made me reevaluate the cartridge, and wanting to give it a try, on top my dad’s words echoing in my mind about it.
The old saying is true. If you can’t beat ‘em, then join them!
That’s exactly what I plan on doing!
Another thing, as technology has progressed, and powders and bullets keep getting better, it makes the old ‘06 that much better as well.
I think that’s something the millennial crowd should think about as well.
Hawk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In my youth, like many others here, I didn’t listen to my dad when he touted the ‘06. I was thinking in my head, what does he know anyways. Even then it was antiquated, but never down and out.
So, I tried my hand with the .300 Mag rifles, the 7mm Rem Mag, the .338 Win Mag. The recoil never bothered me much, except for the old Ruger M77 tang safety .300 Win Mag. That stock had too much drop in it, and too thin! It hurts even to think about it.
But, as I get older, I’m realizing my old man has gotten more wise as the years pass by me.
Plus, it always seems for me I get interested in a cartridge just at it seems to be waning in popularity, but that’s ok! More for us that like the ‘06 now.
In the past, the question would always arise to the gun scribes about if they could only have one caliber to hunt with, and it was almost unanimous, they would pick the ‘06 over everything else.
Why you may ask? Well, the ‘06 ammo can be purchased just about anywhere there are firearms sold, even in remote places like up in the mountains of Colorado, in a tiny gas station, or even in areas of Africa, if your luggage has a mishap at the airport, and your ammo gets separated from your rifle somehow. The PH will have some leftover from previous hunters, or know a place where you can buy some.
Is the .30-06 a barn burner? No, but it is the industry standard to which all other cartridges are judged.
I can honestly tell you, also, that seeing Guy’s success with his has made me reevaluate the cartridge, and wanting to give it a try, on top my dad’s words echoing in my mind about it.
The old saying is true. If you can’t beat ‘em, then join them!
That’s exactly what I plan on doing!
Another thing, as technology has progressed, and powders and bullets keep getting better, it makes the old ‘06 that much better as well.
I think that’s something the millennial crowd should think about as well.
Hawk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alaska
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2006
- 943
- 379
My first 30-06
A 1979 Win Model 70 XTR and my first handload
IMR 4895 @ 47.2
LC brass and Fed 210 primers
Only thing has changed today in this XTR is the bullet added the 175 LRX
I have harvested game from Carolina to Alaska with this rifle .
A 1979 Win Model 70 XTR and my first handload
IMR 4895 @ 47.2
LC brass and Fed 210 primers
Only thing has changed today in this XTR is the bullet added the 175 LRX
I have harvested game from Carolina to Alaska with this rifle .
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,298
- 3,051
I can not live without a 30-06. Even though it puts me in a boredom induced coma it always follows me in every hunt at least as a back up! Mine is a super accurate Savage 116 and it wears a Burris E-1 3x9x40mm scope. Basic enough but always delivers. I ordered some 162 gr Absolute hammers and I will work up a load close to 3100 fps. Hopefully she will love them. I will make 50 of them and will probably last me forever.
Deceased via 30-06 with 165 Ballistic tips last year.
Deceased via 30-06 with 165 Ballistic tips last year.
Last edited:
KinleyWater
Handloader
- Jun 15, 2019
- 1,074
- 1,431
The best part of the -06 - you can make it into a Whelen; something you cannot do with the 300WM.
TXbaldhunter
Handloader
- May 12, 2007
- 404
- 331
The 30-06 always amazes me.It flat works!!! It has the near perfect case/bore capacity that so many bullet weights and powders work so well in it.Here is a good read on the 30-06. https://sportsafield.com/2019/dont-overlook-the-30-06/
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,755
- 5,848
A pair of Springfields that Dad owned for many years. The top one was "sporterized" for him, by his father, while Dad was still in the Navy after WWII. The bottom one is as built for war, but Dad cleaned up the stock quite a bit, making it really very nice. The top one, was the first centerfire rifle I shot, at around 10 years old as I recall. It bucked me pretty good!
I'll be doing some loading for both of these. Will be a real pleasure shooting Dad's old 30-06 Springfields. Good memories of shooting with him.
I'll be doing some loading for both of these. Will be a real pleasure shooting Dad's old 30-06 Springfields.
Good memories of shooting with him.
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,316
- 878
Didn't step on your toes did I?
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,328
- 6,020
A bear will do, Guy.
In 2013 my Montana Outfitter informed me that a 30 caliber would work better than my 270 Winchester for elk so I purchased a Left hand Remington 700 Classic in 30-06. Tagged out that year with one shot kills
and have enjoyed success with the 30-06 on subsequent hunts. This year I hope to harvest an elk with my TIKKA 3x Hunter in 30-06. Recently I did a quick comparison of the same 180 grain bullets in the 30-06 and 300 Win. using JBM ballistics. The bottom line is that for around 29% more powder (YMMV) and recoil the the 300 Win. gives a flatter trajectory and more power, but both are more than adequate for 1,500+ ftp of energy at 500yds, the maximum range in my comparison. At 76 years old I will leave the magnums to you younger folks.
and have enjoyed success with the 30-06 on subsequent hunts. This year I hope to harvest an elk with my TIKKA 3x Hunter in 30-06. Recently I did a quick comparison of the same 180 grain bullets in the 30-06 and 300 Win. using JBM ballistics. The bottom line is that for around 29% more powder (YMMV) and recoil the the 300 Win. gives a flatter trajectory and more power, but both are more than adequate for 1,500+ ftp of energy at 500yds, the maximum range in my comparison. At 76 years old I will leave the magnums to you younger folks.
TackDriver284
Handloader
- Feb 13, 2016
- 2,533
- 2,052
I have a 308 and a 300 and like 30 caliber in between, and a 30 06 fits the bill perfectly. Hopefully one day I'll be able to own one. The 30 06 has been around a long time.
D21ALASKA
Handloader
- Oct 29, 2013
- 275
- 274
Whenever a friend or acquaintance that's just getting into firearms/hunting asks what cartridge they should be looking at in a rifle, the '06 is always my first recommendation. Lots of good ones out there but it's the benchmark I believe and just an iconic round as well. Love it.
flyingagg
Handloader
- Dec 16, 2019
- 462
- 479
Only have one, 1997 M70 Stainless BOSS. Love it. Cuts squirls in half, took down a big Colorado elk, and many things in between.
- Thread starter
- #40
Just shot one again today........old M98 Mauser. Slow lock time, trigger design puts pressure on the weak part of the action, blah, blah, blah. Same load that works in all 30-06's. 57 grains of IMR 4350 with a 165 bullet. Under MOA 5 shot group at 200 yards. 1/2" vertical spread. Might fool with seating depth to see if I can tighten in the horizontal spread, or just leave it alone and go forth and kill stuff.
